Paparazzi
by RedRoses18
Summary: Temperance Brennan becomes an overnight celebrity when she’s linked to a film superstar. How will it affect her life? Hilarity, BB romance, and awkward situations will ensue.
1. Once Upon a Time

**A/N**: I was sitting down to write a chapter for another story when this idea just came out of no where! Please let me know what you think of it, I'd love any feedback!  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bones, just this storyline... :)

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

Temperance Brennan sat down in a huff on the creaky barstool. She'd been in New York City for just one week, and she was very much looking forward to going home the next day. The hustle and bustle of the city had been charming at first, but the quiet confines of her lab back at the Jeffersonian seemed like a far-off dream at this point.

She'd been working 10 hours a day at the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan identifying and helping to catalogue remains for their new ancient Egypt exhibit which was set to open in just one month. The work was extremely enjoyable and the specimens were truly fascinating, but part of her was missing the excitement and intrigue of being Seeley Booth's partner.

Brennan had agreed to call Booth every now and then, just to check in. He didn't want a repeat of what happened to her on her last 'vacation' in New Orleans, and he also liked to hear the sound of her voice on the other side of that phone. She'd rolled her eyes and complained at the time, but now she was really looking forward to getting back to her hotel room and giving him a call. After her drink, that is.

This particular bar had been suggested to her by a colleague, who had claimed that it was the best place to "look for stars". Though Brennan hadn't been expecting a planetarium, she was surprised to see that this bar had absolutely no star-gazing prospects whatsoever. Little did she know that those weren't exactly the 'stars' to which her colleague had been referring.

Brennan gave the bartender her order, and then opened up her bag to retrieve a bulky file folder. Sipping her drink slowly, she looked over some of the contents and thoughtfully bit down on her lip.

"That definitely doesn't look like light-reading." A male voice spoke from behind her.

Brennan tore her gaze away from the file and looked up to see a tall, handsome man in a blue shirt sit down on the stool next to her.

_Oh great..._ Brennan thought. _Just what I need..._

"That's because it's not." She replied blankly, before taking another sip of her drink and looking back down at the file, completely ignoring the smirk on the unidentified man's face.

"I'll have what she's having." He said, pointing at Brennan. The bartender nodded and gave the man his drink before turning to serve another customer.

"Cole Myers." The man said proudly.

"Good for you." Brennan said, looking up at him strangely. This man had said his name as if it were some kind of accomplishment. She instantly saw the confusion cloud his eyes at her unimpressed answer.

"Really?" The man said, almost disbelievingly.

"Really what?" Brennan asked, beginning to get impatient with the man. She looked up again into his startlingly blue eyes and couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with the man. He was strikingly good looking, and she could feel the eyes of many jealous women burning into her back.

"You don't know who I am." He said curiously, as if expecting her to jump up and hug him as if he were a long lost brother.

"How would I possibly know you? You just walked in and sat down beside me."

The man's face instantly broke out into a large smile as he studied the beautiful woman in front of him. "Alright, well I told you my name. Can you tell me yours?" he asked, extending his hand.

"Temperance Brennan" she said after a moment. "Most people call me Tempe" she added quickly.

"That's a beautiful name" Cole said before taking a steady sip of his drink.

Brennan thanked him quietly before turning back to the file. Though she was no longer annoyed with this stranger, she did have a lot of reading to do before she could turn in for the night. Her flight was scheduled to leave tomorrow morning and she needed to email several of the museum employees she had been working with before that time.

They were both silent for a few minutes before Cole put his drink down and turned his body to face Brennan's more fully. "Look, if I'm bothering you then I'll leave, but you seem like the kind of person who could use a night of doing something other than work."

This certainly got Brennan's attention. She turned to study the man curiously as he continued.

" I'm not some creep who walks into bars to pick up women, I'm just here to escape the day-to-day just like you. I find you refreshing."

"Refreshing?" Brennan asked dubiously.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Cole asked.

"No, I'm here for work. I'm from DC." She said, shutting her folder and motioning to the bartender to bring her another drink. "What about you?"

"I live in New York, but I travel a lot for work."

Brennan nodded her head. "What do you do?" she asked.

At this question the man averted his gaze slightly as he tried to find the right words. "I'm in the entertainment business" he said vaguely. "What about you?"

"Forensic anthropologist" Brennan said quickly before sipping on her drink and avoiding the impressed and intimidated stare that always followed after she announced her profession.

"Wow, that sounds intense." Cole said, raising his eyebrows.

"It can be" she nodded. "It's very rewarding" she said, and the honesty in her words was extremely obvious.

"I love my job too, but sometimes it can be very consuming. It's rare that I can just sit in a bar and talk to a perfect stranger." Cole said as he mixed his drink with his straw. He glanced over to see Brennan nodding her head in agreement.

Brennan opened her mouth to continue that particular line of conversation, but changed her mind when she saw a group of girls giggling at the table across from the bar. "Why are those people staring at you?" Brennan asked, motioning over to the table.

"Who knows." Cole said, knowing perfectly well what those girls were giggling about. "Listen, do you want to get out of here?" he asked, smiling in a way that reminded Brennan of Booth.

"Excuse me?" Brennan asked, dubious of this stranger's intent.

"Nothing sketchy or anything, it's just that I know this really great pizza place over on 47th that's open all night, plus I think we both could use some air."

Brennan tilted her head, rather puzzled, and eyed the man in front of her. Any other night Brennan would have immediately dismissed the man, but there was some kind of friendly mutual understanding that she felt in his presence. Well, Angela _had_ told her to have a fun time and try to meet people...

"Okay." Brennan said spontaneously, surprising herself at her own answer.

Cole beamed, "Great, let's get our coats."

Brennan zipped up her knee-length brown coat and walked toward the front door when she felt Cole's hand gently touch her on the shoulder.

"How about we go through the back door..." He suggested, motioning to the back.

"Why?" Brennan asked curiously.

"Um... I think I saw a girl throwing up out there." He said believably. Brennan nodded her head and followed Cole out the back door, casting one last curious look at the giggling group of girls who watched her every move. She shrugged and slipped her hands into her coat as they headed out into the cool and frosty night.

* * *

"This is truly delicious." Brennan exclaimed, chewing one of the last bites of her cheese pizza. 

"Whenever I'm in town I always have to pop in here." Cole said between bites. They were walking along 6th Avenue munching on pizza and taking in the sights.

"I could tell – everyone in there seemed to know you by name!" She said, taking another bite.

Cole nodded his head and smiled as he saw a woman crossing the street with her five Chihuahuas and an equal number of shopping bags. Moonlight and street lamps were the only things that lit the New York City streets, and the crowds of tourists and shoppers had long since retired to bed. A number of couples walked arm in arm, but for the most part there were not many people around.

"Wanna sit?" Cole asked, motioning to a bench.

"Sure." Brennan nodded, scrunching up her napkin and tossing it into a nearby garbage can. She sat down beside Cole and tucked her bag safely beside her.

"So when do you go home?" Cole asked casually, licking a tiny bit of tomato sauce off of his finger.

"Tomorrow morning." She replied. "I've been here for a week, so I'm kind of looking forward to it."

"I'm sure your boyfriend will be happy to have you home." Cole said, looking at her curiously for her reaction.

Brennan pursed her lips. "I don't really have a boyfriend."

"Don't really?" he asked, smirking at her vagueness.

"Not exactly." Brennan said, unsure of how to classify her relationship with Booth. Obviously they had soared through the friend-zone long ago, but it was impossible to classify him as her boyfriend. However, it was easy to say that he wouldn't be thrilled that she was strolling around New York City at night with a perfect stranger.

"Gotcha" Cole said, winking at her. She mirrored his smile and then looked back over at the street which was overcrowded with sunshine-yellow taxis. Feeling a sudden gust of wind, Brennan involuntarily shivered.

"You must be freezing" Cole said, draping his arm around Brennan's shoulders. At this contact, Brennan immediately stiffened. Sensing her discomfort, Cole awkwardly retracted his arm.

"I should really head back to my hotel now, it's getting late." Brennan offered, standing up from the bench and glancing down at her watch.

"Of course. Here, let me hail you a cab." Cole said, standing up and raising his hand at the oncoming traffic. In a matter of seconds, a cab pulled up on the side of the road.

"I'm really glad I met you." Cole said, touching Brennan on the shoulder.

Brennan smiled genuinely at him and nodded, "You too. This was a very nice break."

She opened up the door and stepped inside the cab. Just before the taxi drove away, Brennan unrolled her window to the sound of Cole's hand tapping against it.

"I almost forgot, take this. If you're back in the city sometime, give me call." He smiled, passing her a crumpled paper with his number on it.

"Thanks" she said, before the taxi drove off into the night. Though fairly certain she would never run into Cole Myers again, she was thankful for the time she'd been able to spend away from work, even if it had just been for a few casual hours.

She leaned her head back in the smelly cab and studied the note carefully before tucking it into her coat pocket. She'd had a pleasant night, but it was certainly time to go back to DC.

* * *

"Bones!" shouted a familiar voice from across the Arrivals' gate. Brennan twirled around to see Booth grinning and waving at her from a few feet away. He walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. 

"How was your trip?" he asked, reaching for her bags.

"Fascinating. The museum had some truly intriguing sets of remains, and I got a lot of reading done."

"But you missed me." he said, winking at her as he tugged the bag out of her stubborn hand.

"I missed you." She concluded, laughing as he managed to grab her bag.

"Let's get you out of here." he said, motioning to the exit that would lead them back to his SUV. Brennan followed as Booth led the way to his car, but couldn't help but feel like someone was watching her.

"So tell me all about it." Booth said as they finally drove out of the parking structure. He slipped on his favourite pair of sunglasses and glanced over at Brennan who had relaxed into the passenger's seat.

Brennan opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when she heard the familiar chirping of her cell phone in her purse. She glanced over at Booth before answering her phone.

"Brennan." She stated normally, knowing from the caller ID that it was Angela on the other end.

"You're home!" Angela exclaimed. "Bren, are you with Booth?" she asked quickly.

"Yes, he's driving." Brennan replied, rather confused by her best friend's line of thought.

"Get him to take you to the lab _right now_." She said emphatically, her voice portraying no hint of her intent or emotion.

"What's going on, Ange?"

"I can't explain on the phone. You have to _promise_ not to be upset –"

"Upset about what?" Brennan asked, glancing over at Booth who was looking at her curiously.

"Just get here soon, okay?" Angela asked, knowing that the curiosity would nearly drive Brennan there on her own.

Brennan clicked her phone shut and turned to Booth. "Can you take me to the lab?" she asked.

"Aww come on Bones, I thought we were going out for brunch. There's no way you're working today, you just got back –"

"I know, but Angela says it's important. It won't take that long." Brennan said, sitting up straighter in her seat.

"Fine." Booth sighed as he switched lanes and headed in the direction of the Jeffersonian. He knew when not to get in the way of his partner.

* * *

"Zach, where is everybody?" Brennan asked confusedly as she swiped her key and entered the lab. Booth followed her and glanced around at the squints' empty work stations. 

"I would check the break room. Angela has been in there for most of the morning." Zach said flatly and respectfully, clearly enthralled in his work.

Brennan glanced behind her at Booth, who simply shrugged and headed back down over the steps towards the break room. Just as they got closer they could her Angela's voice saying something excitedly.

Brennan turned the knob of the room and was shocked to see the number of people who were crowded around the modest television set. "What are you all doing in here?" she demanded, trying to see what the commotion was about.

"You're here!" Angela exclaimed, smiling and walking up to her best friend and greeting her warmly. Brennan returned the smile but pulled back out of the hug and studied her friend curiously. Booth walked closer to see what everyone had been watching on television while Brennan opened her mouth to question her friend's odd behaviour.

"What did you want to..." Brennan's statement was cut off when she heard the voice of the TV announcer echo through the otherwise silent room.

_"Sources claim that __movie legend __Cole Myers and his new mystery woman were seen just last night strolling along 6__th__ Avenue. Since then, her identity has been confirmed as Temperance Brennan, __an __internationally renowned author__ from DC. The couple were seen cuddling on a park bench..."_

* * *

**Let the fun begin!  
Please let me know what you think:)**


	2. Flashbulb

**A/N**: I was so thrilled with the reaction toward the last chapter! Thank you SO much to everyone who is reading this, and everyone who reviewed! I haven't gotten a chance to reply to you all yet, but I will definitely try my best! I'm really excited about this story, and I really hope you enjoy this next chapter.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bones, just this storyline... :)

**Previously:**

"What did you want to..." Brennan's statement was cut off when she heard the voice of the TV announcer echo through the otherwise silent room.

_"Sources claim that movie legend Cole Myers and his new mystery woman were seen just last night strolling along 6th Avenue. Since then, her identity has been confirmed as Temperance Brennan, an internationally renowned author from DC. The couple were seen cuddling on a park bench..."_

_

* * *

_

**CHAPTER TWO**

"Bones? What the _hell_ is this?" Booth called from over by the television. His eyes widened as a picture flashed over the screen of this 'Cole Myers' guy with his arm around Brennan as they sat on a park bench. He tightened his grip on his poker chip when he saw the uncomfortable look on Brennan's face in that photo.

For possibly the first time in her professional career, Brennan had absolutely no words. Her eyes widened as the TV announcer continued his lies about Brennan: setting her up like she was some prize that had been won. Sensing she was upset, Angela laid her hand on her friend's arm. Under normal circumstances, Angela would have been thrilled for Brennan and would have congratulated her on such a night, but there was something very wrong here.

"Bren, did you really not know?" she asked quietly, raising a hand to silence Booth who was starting to mutter to himself angrily from across the room.

"He didn't tell me he was an actor! Much less a celebrity –" She started, her voice raising.

"Cole Myers is pretty much as famous as it gets." Hodgins offered, trying to hide the smile that was erupting over his lips. It was so typical for Brennan to be completely unaware that such an A-list celebrity would be hitting on her.

Brennan let out a sound that could have been classified as a growl of frustration before turning on her heel and running for her office. She tuned out the sound of Angela calling after her, and instead ripped out a piece of paper that had been sitting in her coat pocket since the night before.

She slammed the door of her office and grabbed her phone, punching the numbers in swiftly. _Please pick up, please pick up..._. she repeated to herself. She deserved answers, and she was going to get them.

"Cole Myers' phone." A woman's voice said brightly.

"I need to speak to Cole right now." Brennan said, trying to keep her voice even and not portray the annoyance that was quickly sweeping her system.

The woman all but snickered on the phone. "Excuse _me_, may I ask who is calling?" she replied.

"This is Temperance Brennan. I am an acquaintance of Cole's."

There was silence on the other line for a few brief seconds. "I'm sorry, but Cole is unavailable at the moment. If you want to leave a brief message –"

Brennan slammed the phone down just as Booth opened the door to her office. "Booth." She said, her voice wavering.

"You never said anything..." Booth began, not walking any closer to her desk.

"There was nothing to _say_." She said exasperatedly, standing up and walking towards him. "I was at a bar last night and he and I got to talking. We went to get pizza, and that was all. I hardly know him." She protested, and was so relieved to see the understanding in Booth's eyes. Booth knew that she'd never lie to him, and from previous experiences with Brennan's social and cultural naivety, the whole situation was entirely plausible.

Booth let out a deep breath and couldn't help but smirk at the horrified expression that had been plastered on her face for the past five minutes.

"You sure can pick 'em, Bones..." he said, shaking his head.

"That's not funny!" She retorted, punching him gently on the arm.

"Give me that phone number, I'll call this guy and get him straightened out." Booth said as he noticed the crumpled paper in his partner's hand.

"No, just leave it. I'll take care of this. Right now I just want you to take me home, I need to drop my luggage off."

Booth studied her for a minute and then nodded his head. "You're right, but this isn't finished. I'm going to get that guy on the phone and give him a piece of my mind." Brennan looked at him quizzically, so he quickly added "Not literally, Bones."

They walked out of her office and she motioned for Booth to wait for her for just a few minutes. Walking purposefully into the break room, she swiftly picked up the remote control and turned off the dishonest box of photons that was spreading lies about her to her colleagues.

"None of it's true. Now get back to work." Brennan said firmly, crossing her arms and watching as people that she didn't even know smirked at her.

Angela nodded her head. "You heard her! Get out of here. _Now_."

"Ange, I don't know what to say..." Brennan started, her voice holding a mixture of anger, confusion, and frustration.

"It should all blow over in a couple of days, sweetie. Just let Booth take you home and we'll figure it out later."

Brennan nodded, but before she could leave the room Angela added "Cole Myers though? Nice one, Bren..." she congratulated, waggling her eyebrows.

* * *

"What are you thinking?" Booth asked as he walked Brennan out of the lab. 

"I need to talk to him." She said blankly, avoiding Booth's questioning gaze.

"Let me do that. If he thinks he can hurt you by putting your name out there..." Booth started, placing his hand on Brennan's back as he opened the door for her which would lead to the outside of the Jeffersonian.

"It's not Cole that did this, Booth. It's the paparazzi..." Brennan said, the word barely leaving her lips as she and Booth were assaulted with a multitude of blinding flashes of light. Booth instinctively grabbed Brennan by the shoulders and protectively shielded her with his body. He swore under his breath as she gasped in shock.

_"Tempe! Is it true that you've been dating Cole for months?"_

_"Is he a good kisser?"_

_"Come on, Tempe, give us a smile!"_

_"Who is this guy, Tempe? Does Cole know?"_

At this last question, Booth all but snapped. "Everyone BACK OFF!" he shouted as his FBI instincts took over. He gently placed a hand over Brennan's mouth to keep her from shouting as well.

"They're not worth it..." he whispered fiercely to her. She blinked several times in shock, and then nodded her head as Booth tightened his grip on her.

The large crowd of photographers were relentless in pestering Brennan and Booth, and followed them back to his car. Booth opened the door for Brennan and ushered her inside before they could snap any more shots. "Lock it." He shouted to her, before walking around the car to get into the driver's seat.

_"Are you jealous of Cole?"_

_"Come on, __hun__. What's your name?"_

Booth knew the law. He knew that he had no right to assault these photographers, but he had to physically force himself not to place a hand on his gun at that very moment. How _dare_ they speak about his partner like that? How _dare_ they harass her that way?

Booth was about to lash out in frustration when he saw the pleading look on Brennan's face from inside the car. Shooting one last glare at the relentless photographers, Booth got into the SUV and sped off with his shocked and enraged partner.

Little did they know that Brennan's fame was only just beginning.

* * *

**TBC! **

**I would really love to hear from you:)**

**xoRosie**


	3. Unreal

**A/N**: Guys, I'm on a roll! I was going to save this chapter and post it later, but your reviews made me SO HAPPY that I had to post it NOW:) :) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, you guys are the fuel for my fire! I'd love to know what you think about this chapter. Oh, and there's going to be more character-based stuff about Cole in chapter 4 -- then we can see if he's really a good guy or a bad guy... what do you think?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bones, just this storyline:)

**Previously**:

Booth knew the law. He knew that he had no right to assault these photographers, but he had to physically force himself not to place a hand on his gun at that very moment. How _dare_ they speak about his partner like that? How _dare_ they harass her that way?

Booth was about to lash out in frustration when he saw the pleading look on Brennan's face from inside the car. Shooting one last glare at the relentless photographers, Booth got into the SUV and sped off with his shocked and enraged partner. Little did they know that Brennan's fame was only just beginning.

_

* * *

_

**CHAPTER THREE**

_Did that just happen? __Really?_ Brennan thought to herself. She glanced over at Booth who was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. Every few seconds he would glance up at the rear view mirror to make sure they weren't being followed. They hadn't spoken yet, but their non-verbal understanding was very evident: this had to stop.

"Can they do that?" She asked quietly, her voice as tight as Booth's grip on the steering wheel.

"Legally they can – it's their job. But if they do so much as lay a finger on you..." Booth began, but his voice trailed off as if he was unable to even _finish_ that sentence.

"Do you think they know where I live?" Brennan asked as the SUV pulled up to her building. She scanned the parking lot looking for photographers, but was relieved to see that nothing looked out of the ordinary yet.

"It's only a matter of time." Booth breathed. "Let's go, I'm coming with you." He said as he parked the SUV and walked around to open up the trunk. She tried to help him with her luggage, but Booth shook his head and motioned for her to go unlock the door to her building. Under normal circumstances she would have protested his bossy behaviour, but in this situation all she wanted was to be locked in her apartment and figure this situation out once and for all.

They struggled their way up the stairs and Brennan unlocked her apartment door. Booth ushered her inside and then quickly dead bolted the door. "I don't think they'll bother you up here, but keep this locked just in case." Booth said, making his way further into the apartment.

"I should call Angela." Brennan suggested as she made her way into the kitchen to offer Booth something to eat.

"That's a good idea. Look, are you going to be okay here for an hour or so? I don't want to leave you alone, but I'm going to go talk to Caroline and see how she would deal with something like this."

"Booth, this could affect my work. It could ruin everything." Brennan said quietly, her annoyance slowly melting away into frustration.

"I know, but I'm not going to let that happen." Booth said, placing his hand underneath her chin so that she would look right into his eyes. "Promise me you won't leave this apartment. Promise me, Temperance." He said clearly, praying that she would submit to this one request.

"I don't like sacrificing my daily routines just out of fear." She stated rather indignantly.

"I know, but just do this for me. We'll get this figured out soon. In the meantime, you should call Angela. Or, better yet, call that asshole who started all of this..."

"Booth, he's not an asshole."

"I'll bring lunch on my way back. Just hang tight, okay?" He said, unlocking the door.

"Okay." She nodded, sighing as she locked the door behind him. She leaned her back against the door and observed the empty apartment. This was certainly not the homecoming she had been hoping for – it was as if she'd brought the hectic nature of New York straight back into her own life. And it had all started with a drink...

* * *

Caroline whistled as Booth knocked and entered her office. She sat back into her oversized leather chair and studied him thoughtfully. The amused smirk that lit her features clued Booth into the fact that she, like many of his other colleagues, was very much aware of Brennan's situation. 

"Cherie, you're gonna need one _hell _of a belt buckle."

Booth rolled his eyes and took a seat across from her desk. "Caroline, we have to talk."

"I know exactly what you're wondering, Booth, and I even I can't get your girl out of this one. You really gotta start keeping a tighter leash on that one." She said shaking her head.

"Nothing happened between them, it's just the media creating this crazy story. They all but attacked us coming out of the Jeffersonian, and now she's locked up in her apartment wondering when the photographers are going to show up." Booth said exasperatedly.

"Well it sounds like you've got that under control. I say you lock her up in there and throw away the key until this whole thing dies down."

"Just because one rich asshole decides to put her at risk like that..."

"The rich asshole I'm guessing is Cole Myers? Mmm Mmm..."

"Caroline!"

The lawyer rolled her eyes and sat up straighter in her chair. "Look, Booth. Those photographers can do whatever they want as long as they're on public property and as long as she doesn't get hurt. The second they step inside her building you can kick their asses straight back to LA, but until then you all are just going to have to live with it. Just tell her not to do anything stupid this time."

Booth sighed out of frustration. He'd already known that there wasn't much they could do, but the second he had any excuse to pounce on one of those paparazzo he was going to do it.

"Call me if there's anything – I could have some fun with this case..."

"I'd better get back. I don't want her to be alone." Booth muttered, standing up.

"And Booth?" Caroline called, as he turned around to face her one last time. "Don't worry about Myers. Those paparazzi can smell jealousy from a mile away." She warned before smirking at Booth and continuing on with her work. Caroline loved her job, but a part of her was very much looking forward to going home and catching up on her entertainment news...

* * *

"Would you please tell him that it's important?" Brennan demanded angrily into the phone. She decided to call Cole's number again in the hopes that his receptionist would not be the one to pick up. Unfortunately, that was not the case. 

"He's out of town, but leave a message and I'll see what I can do."

"Fine." Brennan said in a huff. "Tell him to call me as soon as he can. I need to speak with him immediately." And with that, Brennan placed the phone back in the receiver and flopped down onto the couch next to Booth.

"They're outside, aren't they." Brennan said flatly. She and Booth had finished their lunch hours ago, and since then they'd each been on the phone trying to do some damage control.

Booth stood up and walked towards the window, where he saw a crowd of photographers camped out by the door. They were chatting amongst themselves as if this were any other day at work – it was any other day at work for them. They were used to stalking people like Brennan who wanted nothing to do with being a celebrity. All they wanted was their pay check, and all Brennan wanted was to be left alone.

"Yes." Booth said quietly.

"You should go, I'm sure you have lots of work to do." Brennan said rather bitterly. "So do I, except I can't get back to the lab to do any of it."

"Cam wants you to take the rest of the week off."

"I know what Cam wants, Booth, but I'm not about to let this affect my job. I'll stay home tonight and work on my manuscript, but I swear to you that I'm going to work tomorrow."

"Fine, but I'm driving you." Booth said, crossing his arms.

"Fine." Brennan conceded, remembering how hard it had been to get out of the lab even with Booth's help.

"Is Angela staying with you tonight?" Booth asked.

"She wanted to, but I convinced her not to come. I don't want her to have to deal with the press."

"I just don't know if you should be alone..."

"Booth! They're photographers, not serial killers. I don't need anyone to protect me; I just want this to be over."

Brennan walked Booth to the door and he turned just as he was about to leave. "Call me if there's anything, okay? It doesn't matter what time it is." He said gently.

"Thanks Booth." She said genuinely. Acting on impulse, she stood on her toes and kissed him gently on the cheek for the second time that day. They had been doing things like this more and more frequently over the past few weeks, but neither of them knew exactly what it meant. Whatever it was, it gave them a little thrill each time.

"Goodnight." He said as she closed and locked the door behind him. Brennan walked to her window and looked out at the photographers who were still waiting for their priceless shot. A few minutes later, she watched as Booth emerged and the flashes starting going off like crazy. Though Booth had not been the one linked to Cole Myers, the protective behaviour he had demonstrated earlier that day was very promising to the tabloid reporters.

She sighed as Booth raised an arm over his face that he could see through the flashes, and he walked at a steady pace toward his car. Watching Booth speed off into the night, Brennan couldn't help but feel trapped by her circumstances. She hated feeling vulnerable, and this situation had definitely done that to her.

* * *

The night seemed to drag on and on for Brennan, and she was getting very little done on her book. She'd tried countless times to sit down and type, but all she could think about were the possible repercussions of her actions. Would Cullen still let her go out into the field? How long would this last? Did Cole even care that this could ruin her career? There was no way she could retain her solid reputation if she was seen as some celebrity trophy girlfriend. 

Booth had called several times that evening, and Brennan suspected that he was feeling just as restless as she was. The only difference was that Booth actually owned a TV, so he was able to see exactly what kind of story the media was weaving. Brennan had been close to just inviting him to come and stay with her, knowing that would put his mind at ease, but she didn't want to seem helpless.

She climbed into bed extremely early but tossed and turned for most of the night. She usually set her alarm clock for 6:15AM, but at 5:00AM she was more than ready to start her day. She tiptoed into the living room to peek out the window and was thrilled to see that there were no more photographers outside her door. Not a single one.

Taking that as a sign of potential independence, Brennan climbed into a pair of navy blue sweatpants and pulled a grey FBI t-shirt on over her head. She tied her wavy auburn hair up into a messy pony-tail and tucked her keys and money into her pocket. Not wanting to waste her precious hour of freedom, Brennan left her apartment and headed out to get some breakfast.

Brennan wasn't exactly sure it was cabin-fever, but the relief of stepping outside into the fresh morning air was extremely pleasuring. The sun had just barely arisen and she walked purposefully toward the coffee shop that was just a fifteen minute walk away from her building.

The shop was well-used at this early hour in the morning by shift-workers and work-a-holics like her, who were always looking for coffee at the most inopportune times. Thinking about her lemon poppy-seed muffin, Brennan made her way down the street.

She was only a block away from the store when she heard a familiar clicking noise coming from behind her. _Oh no... Oh no..._

Brennan didn't need to turn around to know exactly who and what was behind her. She increased her pace only to hear a man calling from behind her.

"Oh, come on Tempe... we just want to talk to you about Cole..."

At that moment Brennan wanted to whirl around and throw the man's camera to the ground, but she could almost hear Booth's voice in her head , _"They'__re not worth it...__"_

She realized that that was exactly what these people wanted. They wanted her to yell and them and show her true desperation. They wanted her to make a scene so that they could sell their lying rags. And with that thought, Brennan broke out into a run.

"I've got her! She's running toward the Busy Bistro... one block..." Brennan heard the man yell, and seconds later a van with three additional photographers pulled up in front of the bistro.

Brennan swore under her breath as she made a beeline toward the door, getting inside the shop just as the photographers hopped out of their vehicle. Brennan leaned against the door and opened her eyes to see 3 customers and the owner staring at her as if she were insane. That is, until they began to recognize her.

"Umm... lemon muffin, please." she said, trying not to sound out of breath.

The elderly man nodded, but before serving Brennan he made his way from behind the desk to the door and locked it shut. "Paying customers only!" he yelled out at the paparazzi.

The man passed her a paper bag with her muffin, and a large insulated cup with her coffee inside. She thanked the man and then stared ominously at the door, wondering what she would do next. Her brain was telling her to phone Booth and ask for help, but she didn't want to face his wrath.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but you can't stay here. They're scaring my customers away." He said apologetically.

"Of course." Brennan nodded. Taking a deep breath she held her coffee tightly and stepped out to face the rhythmic flashes of the cameras that were waiting for her.

She raised her arms and hands protectively over her head and tried to walk in a straight line. She focused on counting her steps rather than listening to the peppering questions that they were yelling at her.

7, 8, 9 ...

Brennan cursed as some of the coffee spilled out over the rim and burnt her hand. She should have never left her apartment. She should have waited for Booth and none of this would have happened.

22, 23, 24 ...

All of a sudden the sound of honking came from across the road. Brennan lifted her head slightly to peer out, searching in vain for Booth's SUV. Instead, a black taxi was driving alongside the swarm of photographers which had nearly enveloped Brennan.

"Get in!" yelled the voice.

Brennan didn't have time to analyze the situation, she just pushed her way towards the cab just as the window rolled down. Seeing the familiar face, she swung open the door and jumped inside, hearing the deafening cheer of the paparazzi behind her.

Brennan fell back into the seat and began to catch her breath. She turned her head to see Cole Myers smiling at her apologetically, "Looks like I came just in time."

* * *

**TBC! Ooh the cameras are just going to love Booth's reaction, huh?**

Please let me know what you think, it really encourages me to keep going:) 

**xoRosie**


	4. A Visitor

**A/N**: It's me again! I wrote a really tough exam this afternoon, so I promised that my reward for surviving would be to write another chapter in this story! Haha I hope you like it as much as I loved writing it! Oh, and this chapter is a bit... dramatic... but don't worry! There will be some serious fluff / funny situations in the next chapter! I'm excited already!

Guys, I just have to say this. Thank you SO MUCH for your reviews!! Your enthusiasm makes this story almost write itself! You guys are so special, and I hope you enjoy this next installment!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bones, just this storyline:)

**Previously:**

_"Get in!" yelled the voice. _

_Brennan didn't have time to analyze the situation, she just pushed her way towards the cab just as the window rolled down. Seeing the familiar face, she swung open the door and jumped inside, hearing the deafening cheer of the paparazzi behind her. _

_Brennan fell back into the seat and began to catch her breath. She turned her head to see Cole Myers smiling at her apologetically, "Looks like I came just in time."_

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"What are you doing here?" Brennan demanded as a look of shock flooded her face.

"Please don't be mad -- I was on my way to your apartment when I saw the mob and I figured it had to be you..."

"How do you know where I live? You were just going to come waltzing in for a visit at 5:30 in the morning?" Brennan demanded, her eyes wide as she studied the apologetic man beside her.

"My assistant found your address pretty quickly. My flight from New York got in earlier this morning, so I just thought I'd see if you were awake yet. Looks like I was right..." He added with a boyish grin. However, his charm didn't work on Brennan.

"Why didn't you return my calls? What the hell is going on? You never told me you were an actor!" Brennan continued, her pitch increasing. Under normal circumstances she knew she could be much more patient than this, but after that close call with the press she was running very low on mercy.

"Temperance, I'm so sorry. I knew there were photographers that night, but I didn't think it would blow up to be something like this –"

"Sir, we're here." The driver said. The ride from the cafe to Brennan's apartment had seemed much quicker than normal.

"Do you think I could come up for a bit? I really want to explain some things to you." Cole asked genuinely. He stopped when he saw Brennan's face suddenly pale. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Cole followed Brennan's gaze out the window and watched as a black SUV pulled up in the parking lot and a tall man walked got out of the vehicle carrying two coffees. A few photographers followed him to the door and quickly merged with the mob that had been following their taxi.

"Booth..." Brennan whispered under her breath as she leapt out of the taxi and ran towards him, ignoring Cole as he shouted out after her.

"Bones! What are you doing?" Booth called as she ran towards him. He'd tried calling her twice and was shocked to see her out of the apartment. Her hair was in complete disarray and she had coffee spilt down the front of her shirt. Her face was rather pale, and Booth could feel a hint of anger bubbling up inside of him.

"I went to get breakfast, and then..." Brennan started, but she had to raise her voice so that he could hear her over the loud photographers.

"Let's get you inside!" Booth called, taking her by the hand and starting to move through the crowd of paparazzi. Just then, Brennan turned as she heard a familiar voice calling her name over the crowd.

The expression '_shit hitting the fan'_ did not nearly describe the events that followed as Cole got out of the taxi and immersed himself into the mob. The paparazzi whooped and the number of flashes increased almost to the point where it was getting hard to see anything.

"Temperance! Wait!" Cole called, pushing himself through the press.

Booth recognized the voice instantly. After all, until this whole predicament, Cole Myers had been featured in some of Booth's all time favourite movies. Though some of the characters he had played had been manipulating or malevolent, Booth had never wanted to punch someone so badly in his entire life until this very moment. Turning around, he accidently dropped the tray that had been holding their coffees. At this point, a nice and relaxing morning with his partner was certainly out of the question.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Booth roared. His mind was telling him that this was definitely not the right place to carry out this discussion, but the surprise of seeing Myers show his pretty face at Brennan's apartment made Booth want to tear him down.

Though this was certainly not the right place for humour, Brennan was rather entertained by the look of horror on Cole's face as Booth approached him. Brennan had only ever seen Booth this protective once before, and that was when he thought that Parker had been abducted by Epps.

"I just wanted to talk to..."

"She doesn't want to talk to you, asshole! Who the hell do you think you are?" Booth yelled, but stopped when he felt Brennan grip his muscular forearm with her two hands.

"Booth!" she called, trying to coerce him back towards the door to her building. The paparazzi was, quite literally, witnessing one of the best stories to sell in months. Though they normally were hounding the celebrities with questions, they had seemed to have backed off and wanted to see where this was going.

Though Booth continued to glare at Cole, he complied with Brennan as they walked back towards the door of the building. She unlocked the door with shaking hands and grabbed Booth by the lapels of his jacket, pulling him inside.

Then, acting on impulse, Brennan did something rather unexpected. "Cole, get in here!" she called after the man who had nearly been swallowed up by the reporters.

"What?!" Booth yelled at her exasperatedly.

"Booth, where else is he going to go?"

"Why should we care?"

Brennan couldn't help but agree with Booth, but at the same time she knew just how relentless these people were. If he hadn't shown up in that cab and allowed her to escape that mob, she'd surely still be on the street being harassed unabatedly.

The second Cole got through the door Brennan slammed it shut. "Thanks, Tempe..." he said breathlessly, trying desperately not to make eye contact with Booth. That didn't exactly work.

"Don't talk to her." Booth said testily.

Brennan smacked Booth's arm. "Can we at least make it up the stairs?" she muttered. Booth nodded as they made their way to Brennan's door, Booth taking special care to place himself between his partner and Cole.

When both men were finally in her apartment, Brennan locked the door firmly and sighed in relief. Brennan had never been a spontaneous person, so she had thought her next actions through rather thoroughly. She was tired, coffee stained, and completely fed up.

Cole thought that Booth was the only person he had to worry about, so when he turned to see Brennan storming towards him he nearly lost his footing.

"Look what you've done to me!" She yelled. "I can't even walk alone outside thanks to you! How dare you think you can take away my privacy like that. You _never_ warned me –" she continued, her voice rising until she felt Booth's hand on her shoulder.

"No." She protested, moving herself away from her partner's touch. "Now, why are you here?"

Cole sighed, "I'm here to apologize. I never meant for this to happen, but you'll get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it! I want it to go away."She said firmly, crossing her arms.

Cole snorted, "Yeah, so do I."

Until that point, Booth had tried his hardest to keep his mouth shut. He knew that Brennan needed to talk this out on her own, but he was really reaching his limit with this guy.

"You flew all the way to DC to tell me you're _sorry_?" She said skeptically.

Cole winced and looked down to the floor as if trying to figure out how to say this properly. "Well... no. I'm actually filming a movie starting this afternoon..."

"Oh, well isn't that convenient." She said bitterly. "You set me up." She said accusingly, feeling Booth's warm hand on her shoulder once again.

"Look, this wasn't a publicity stunt. I really just wanted to get to know you better –" Cole began to explain, stepping closer to Brennan until Booth finally decided he could step in.

"Look, buddy, I think you're done enough damage." He said tightly as he gently let his arm fall to Brennan's waist, indicating his possession. "Bones, you should go change." He said, glancing down at her stained shirt and sweatpants.

Brennan nodded slightly and eyed Cole warily. She walked toward her bedroom and closed the door quietly, thinking for just a moment that perhaps leaving Cole alone with Booth wasn't such a great idea.

Once Brennan had retreated to her room, Cole peered out the window to observe the mayhem that was going on outside. It was obvious that word had gotten out that Cole Myers was in DC, and that nearly every tabloid photographer in the city had come in hopes of catching a shot or two.

"Look, man, I think we've gotten off on the wrong foot. My name's Cole." He said to Booth, extending his hand with a slight but hopeful smile.

Booth glanced down at his hand and looked up at Cole dubiously. "Look, _man_, I have some advice for you." He said, keeping his voice low so Brennan wouldn't hear. "Get the hell out of this apartment and don't come back."

Cole shook his head. "Even if I did make a public statement, it's not like they're going to believe me! It could just make things worse for her. And besides, I'm here to see Tempe, not you." Cole said, crossing his arms.

"Clearly you didn't hear me the first time."

Just then Brennan emerged from her room. She was wearing jeans and a cream coloured blouse, but her eyes still held a sense of fatigue and annoyance that only renewed Booth's anger at the man in front of him.

The apartment was silent as Booth continued to stare Cole down, waiting for any excuse to make this argument physical. Finally Cole submitted as he turned around and headed to the door. "Call me." He said to Brennan, who stared at him emotionlessly.

Brennan all but sighed when she heard the apartment door click shut behind Cole. She glanced over at Booth who was now standing at the window, looking down at the growing crowd. Brennan wordlessly joined him at the window and they stood in amicable silence.

A few moments later they watched as a cheer broke out from the crowd that signalled Cole leaving the apartment building. He pushed his way through the crowd as professionally as he could, turning back just for a moment to glance up at Brennan's window.

This was going to be a very long day.

* * *

**TBC  
See? Drama-rama! Sorry about that... but I'm personally a big fan of protective-Booth!  
There'll be some serious fluff in the next part -- I can't wait!  
Please let me know what you think! You guys keep me going:)**

**xoRosie**


	5. Angela's Discovery

**A/N**: You guys have done it again! I was going to wait and post this later, but you guys made me so dang happy that I just had to post it right away! This chapter might not exactly be the BB fluff you're looking for (it's coming! I promise!) but nonetheless you might find this entertaining... ;) Thank you so much to everyone who is reading this! I'd love to know what you think so far.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bones, just this storyline. This is all in pure fun, and I mean nothing by it:)

On with the show!

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Several days later...**

Angela Montenegro expertly wheeled her cart around the densely packed aisles of the grocery store. Since it was difficult for Brennan to go out in public without being recognized, Angela decided that she would do a little shopping to stock up Brennan's kitchen.

The past few days had nearly been a blur; what was happening was so incredibly surreal. Brennan's celebrity status had grown exponentially, and she had quickly become tabloid reporters' favourite girl-next-door scientist. According to her publicist, her book sales had increased nearly 45 percent since the incident with Cole. However, the other half of Brennan's career had taken a serious beating.

It was a daily struggle to get Brennan into the lab, much less leave at the end of the day. Instead of having the freedom to come and go as she pleased, Brennan had to leave at specific times so that she never ventured out alone. Not only did Brennan resent the fact that her independence was compromised, she was getting increasingly frustrated that this situation wasn't being resolved as quickly as it should be.

Luckily, in the past 4 days there had been no cases assigned to Booth and Brennan. However, the time would soon come when a case would arise, and everyone knew that there was no way that Cullen would allow Brennan to do field work. Angela sighed at how discouraged Brennan would be since she could no longer perform her job properly. Would Booth be forced to get a new partner? Would Cam be forced to restrict Brennan's input on cases? Would Brennan ever be considered by jurors to be a credible witness if her reputation was now defined by her celebrity status?

_Chocolate.__ This woman needs some serious chocolate_. Angela decided as she turned down the next aisle. So far Angela had loaded the cart up with the essentials, and also a few of Brennan's favourites. However, Angela had a sneaking suspicion that "organic wheat thins" would not satisfy her friend's FBI counterpart.

Booth had been spending an immense amount of time at Brennan's apartment, but they both insisted that it was purely for professional reasons. Since her lab time was restricted, Brennan had been doing a lot of work at home and Booth had volunteered to act as her messenger. _And full__-time bodyguard..._ Angela added with a smirk.

With this in mind, Angela wheeled her way over to the junk food aisle and snatched up some chips and other not-so-Brennan snacks; she knew that Booth would thank her later. Eyeing her cart with pride and satisfaction, Angela headed towards the checkout.

Standing in line, Angela leaned over the cart to pick up some gum when something caught her eye. She literally froze as she took in the sight before her.

Four out of the five magazines on the stand depicted a mixture of shots of that immediately made Angela's eyes widen. Her jaw slackened as her eyes flew over the variety of headlines in brightly coloured letters.

_"Cole's New Girl"_

_"Hot New Celebrity Romance!"_

_"Eat Your Heart Out, Brangelina..."_

However, it was the very last cover that sent Angela's brain reeling. The cover depicted a crystal-clear shot of Brennan clambering on Booth's arm as he yelled at Cole outside her apartment. The picture was obviously caught in the heat of the moment, and the emotion in Brennan's eyes as she stared up at Booth was nearly tangible. He was furiously glaring at Cole, whose eyes held a sense of panic and dismay. The caption below read:

_"Steamy Love Triangle"_

Angela swore as she gathered up a copy of each of the magazines and threw them unceremoniously into the cart. She hated the idea of buying into these lying rags, but she knew that Brennan would want to see exactly what people were saying about her. Angela used to absolutely love magazines like these. However, these past few days had truly opened her eyes to the consequences that these beautiful faces that graced the covers were forced to deal with. There was nothing entertaining about having your freedom stolen from you by a sea of photographers.

After paying the cashier, Angela rolled out of that grocery store as quickly as she could and tossed the magazines onto the passenger's seat. She brought her cart over to the return area, and then quickly got into the car – eager to read what the tabloids were saying about her best friend.

She flicked through the pages of each magazine swiftly, rolling her eyes at each blatant lie that she came across. If this whole situation wasn't having such a negative effect on her best friend, Angela would even find this situation funny.

**Did Someone Call for a Doctor?**

**It's hard to believe that a woman with a body like Temperance Brennan would have the brains to match! This newfound light in Cole Myers' life is not only a New York Times Bestselling Author, but she's also a world renowned anthropologist. Juggling her careers can be tiresome, but sources claim that Tempe always sets aside time to work with underprivileged children in the public school system. "She loves children... Tempe has always dreamed of being a mother", a close friend confided. Do you hear the harps playing? Because this sure sounds like a match made in Hollywood heaven. **

Angela stared at the magazine in disgust and immediately regretted wasting her three dollars on it. Who writes this stuff? Shaking her head, she proceeded to flip through the rest of the pages until she saw her best friend's familiar face again.

At the top of the page was the heading _"Celebrities: They're Just Like Us!"._ Below were a series of pictures of these so-called 'celebrities' going about their daily lives. Nestled in the midst of this photographic slideshow was a picture of Brennan walking down the street with a paper bag in one hand as coffee spilled down one of Booth's old FBI shirts. To most people Brennan's expression would be unreadable, but Angela knew the woman well enough to recognize when she was truly upset. Her mouth was drawn in a straight line and her eyes were staring pointedly at the ground.

Angela sighed exasperatedly and tossed the magazine on the ground, and trading it for another from her newly acquired stack.

**Cole Myers' Sexy Love Triangle**

**Well, it looks like heartthrob Cole Myers isn't the only one dazzled by Tempe Brennan's steely blue gaze. Seeley Booth, an actual FBI agent, was seen battling it out with Myers just outside his girlfriend's DC apartment complex. The two men were seen engaged in a heated discussion when things became ugly. Since then, sources claim that the mystery man has been seen entering and exiting Tempe's building at very odd hours of the night. Cole's rep was unavailable for comment, but we can only hope that this blossoming love triangle quickly withers and dies as fast as K-Fed's rapping career...**

Angela closed the magazine and tossed it to the other side of her car. How can these people live with themselves? Though she truly believed that honesty is always the best policy, Angela couldn't help but think that hiding these stories from Booth and Brennan might be the safest idea at this point. After all, the last thing they needed was to finally lash-out publicly at the paparazzi. If Booth got wind of this story there's no telling how he might react.

* * *

**TBC  
Please let me know what you think -- thank you for reading!**

**xoRosie**


	6. Red Panties

**A/N**: Hey guys, sorry this has taken so long to post! Between exams and the holidays I've had little time for fanfic escapes, but I was able to get a nice long chapter written for this story.

On the last chapter I posted there was some kind of glitch with the site so I didn't receive your reviews (so sad!) but I would absolutely love to hear what you think about this chapter! Did you like the fake articles in the last chapter? I can keep adding them if you find them entertaining! Anyway, on with this chapter! woohoo!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bones, just this storyline!

**Previously**: _Angela closed the magazine and tossed it to the other side of her car. How can these people live with themselves? Though she truly believed that honesty is always the best policy, Angela couldn't help but think that hiding these stories from Booth and Brennan might be the safest idea at this point. After all, the last thing they needed was to finally lash-out publicly at the paparazzi. If Booth got wind of this story there's no telling how he might react._

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

Temperance sat curled up on her couch staring blankly at the laptop in front of her. Cam had forcefully suggested that Brennan take a leave of absence for several days, and she begrudgingly submitted. Sooner or later the media frenzy between her and Cole Myers would have to die down, and when it did she'd have a chance at reclaiming her pre-celebrity life.

Booth, however, had not been so fortunate. When the FBI was informed that one of their agents had appeared and been named in a several magazines, they immediately had to temporarily suspend him from field work. Sitting at a desk for eight hours a day didn't sit very well with a person like Seeley Booth. He'd been absolutely livid with Cullen but, like his partner, he realized that the integrity of his career depended on his ability to work effectively. This ability was sufficiently squashed by the rumours floating around Tinsel-town.

So, while Booth was trapped by unrelenting stacks of paperwork, Brennan decided to work ahead on her latest novel. Her agent seemed to be the only person, other than the paparazzi, to be thrilled by her celebrity status. She was calling Brennan everyday with invitations to be interviewed by a wide variety of monumental talk shows: all of which Brennan politely declined. Normally publicity for her novels would be beneficial, but at this point getting back to the lab and into the field was her top priority.

Taking one last lingering glace at the blinking cursor on the computer document in front of her, she sighed and closed the laptop with a resounding click. Convinced that she would get no more work done until she cleared her head, she set her laptop on the couch and stood to stretch her limbs.

It was still rather light outside considering it was approaching 5:00PM. On the way to the bathroom, Brennan glanced out the window and was pleased to see that only three or four photographers were lingering outside the building. This was certainly a good sign, indeed.

She stepped into the bathroom and studied herself for a moment in front of the mirror. She wore a rather baggy t-shirt with a skull printed on the front, and a pair of fire-red panties that Angela had coerced her into buying months ago. Combing a hand through her tousled auburn waves, she loaded up her toothbrush with minty gel and began vigorously brushing her teeth.

As she wandered out into the hallway, Brennan contemplated the relaxing nature of brushing her teeth. Since her teenage years, she'd always found that the repetitive motion of brushing her teeth gave her a sense of peace and renewed her focus. She smirked at how Booth would react to that particular thought.

Still brushing away, she flicked on the stereo to fill the room with a sound other than silence. She grinned as the intro to _Hot Blooded_ poured through the speakers. As she did so, a line of toothpaste slid down her chin and streaked down her t-shirt. _Excellent_. Embracing her inner-slob, she ignored the minor minty spill and began to bop around her apartment to the beat of the song with the toothbrush still stuck in her mouth.

The song had just reached mid-chorus when something in Brennan's peripheral vision caught her attention. There was a tiny burst of light from the fire escape ladder outside her window, and she turned just in time to see a glimmer of a smile on an unidentified man's face.

Oh. Hell. No.

Brennan shrieked as she bit down on her toothbrush between her teeth and tugged her shirt down to hide her flaming red panties. She yelled obscenities as she hopped towards the bathroom, though all that came out were incoherent gurgles and sprinkles of toothpaste.

She snatched a pair of sweatpants and roughly hauled them on as she spat into the sink. Thundering out of the bathroom she threw open the window.

"That's illegal! I'm going to have your ass arrested –"

The words had just left her mouth when her mind finally registered exactly who she had been yelling at.

Cole Myers himself was perched on the fire escape and looked up at Brennan with an amused smile. He took her enraged silence as a chance for redemption and he waved the camera playfully.

"Do you know how much these pictures could go for?"

Brennan narrowed her eyes, "How dare you show up here! Give me that camera before I call the police." She outstretched her hand to snatch the camera, but he pulled his hand away.

"Ah ah ah" he said, shaking his head. "Not until you agree to talk to me."

"You're blackmailing me into talking to you." She stated forcefully, trying again to reach out the window and grab the camera.

"Yes, and you have a gift for the obvious." He said with a flirtatious hint to his voice. As he pulled back from her grasp the fire ladder creaked ominously and his free hand flew out to grasp the railing.

"Climb down before you get yourself killed!" she ordered as she reached around for her cell phone.

"Nope, not until you agree to talk to me. You've been avoiding me –"

"That's because I don't want to talk to you. I'm calling Booth."

"No! Don't do that." He said and redirected her focus by waving a flat, white box in front of the window. He was pleased as she put the phone down and looked at him quizzically. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to carry a pizza while climbing up a fire escape?"

"I don't want your pizza, just give me the camera or I'll –"

"You'll what? Poke me with your toothbrush?"

Brennan grunted exasperatedly. "You've done enough damage already. Just give me the film and don't you dare come here again."

"I'm not leaving until you let me in. I might not be as smart as you, but I'm definitely just as stubborn..." he said, still clutching the pizza box and the camera.

She stared at him appraisingly for a few minutes and it took a great amount of Cole's willpower not to look away from her steely stare. Just when he thought she was going to let him climb through, they both heard the sound of someone knocking on Brennan's door.

"You should probably get that. I'm not going anywhere though." Cole said plainly.

"Don't fall." Brennan muttered as she closed the window and walked towards the door.

Brennan opened the door to see Angela smiling at her carrying an armful of grocery bags.

"You may now refer to me as the grocery goddess." Angela greeted as she walked into Brennan's apartment and set the bags on the kitchen table.

"Thanks Ange, that'll really help a lot." She said gratefully, finally walking over to turn the stereo off.

Angela had busied herself with putting the groceries away into the cupboards when she finally faced her friend who was absently wiping at a toothpaste stain on her shirt.

"Sweetie, is something wrong?" she asked as she put away the last bag of nachos for Booth.

"No. I just have some... things... to take care of." Brennan replied vaguely. Angela gave her a suspicious look until she looked past her friend and saw something on the other side of the window pane.

Angela gasped and stared at the man for a solid five seconds before turning to see Brennan's unimpressed expression. Angela turned back to the window and saw Cole raise his hand and smiled at her with a friendly wave.

"Bren. Do you realize that there's a millionaire celebrity outside your window?" Angela asked in a breathy voice. Her eyes were fixed on the attractive man outside who was gripping a pizza box and maintained a goofy smile on his face. He was _enjoying_ watching Brennan squirm.

"Actually, I am." Brennan stated clearly.

Angela rushed toward the window and opened it quickly. "Get in here before you fall!" she called as she motioned for Cole to climb inside.

"Angela!" Brennan protested.

"You can't let him sit out there forever – besides, you don't want the photographers to see him."

Brennan nodded her head at that logical point. The last thing she wanted was to fuel anymore stories. She sighed as Cole made his way into the living room and set the pizza box on the table. "Hi, I'm Cole Myers." He said, extending his hand to Angela.

"Angela Montenegro." She greeted with a smile. "So you're the man who has temporarily ruined the careers of two of my best friends." She said coolly.

_Whops_. Cole was definitely not expecting that.

"It's not _me_ who is ruining anything. It's the damn paparazzi and their lies."

Brennan took that moment to eject the memory card from his camera and quickly shoved it into her pocket. At least now her red panties could be kept a secret, even if the rest of her life had seemingly become an open book.

"I'm genuinely sorry. I should have told you, and I'm sorry if you think that I had anything to do with this. Please accept my apology."

Angela crossed her arms and looked over at Brennan expectantly. Though she felt slight sympathy for the gorgeous man, she was anticipating the knee-buckling retort that her friend would shoot him down with. She was therefore quite surprised when Brennan uncrossed her arms and continued to stare at Cole.

"He's telling the truth." Brennan said simply. "I still don't want anything to do with you." She added quickly, shrinking the smile that had been growing on Cole's face.

"Well I guess I can't do much about that for now. I can, however, offer you some pizza." He said, opening the box and waggling his eyebrows slightly.

Angela smirked and shook her head. "I'll get some plates..." she said as she headed into the kitchen.

Just then Brennan heard the lock of her front door turn and then the door opened. Since Booth was the only other person with a key to her apartment, she knew that it had to be him.

"Hey Bones! Good news – Cam says you can go back to the lab tomorrow. I was thinking tonight we could..." Booth's words trailed off as he saw Brennan and Cole staring at him from the living room.

The silence was broken as Angela poked her head out from the kitchen, "The table is ready – Oh, hey Booth!" she greeted, sensing the tension in the living room.

"What the hell is this?" Booth asked Brennan, though staring keenly at Cole.

"Booth, it's fine. He came to apologize, and he'll be leaving soon anyway." Brennan said as calmly as possible, specifically leaving out the part of the story where he climbed up on her fire escape and saw her in her underwear.

"And I brought pizza." Cole added, trying to battle off the idea of hopping down that fire escape as fast as he could.

"Which happens to be getting cold." Angela offered, motioning for Booth to come into the kitchen. He shook his head at Angela mutely and focused his dark gaze on Brennan.

"Bones, can I speak with you for a minute?" He asked as he took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom.

* * *

Booth closed the bedroom door behind them to ensure their privacy and then turned to face Brennan. "It's not what it looks like, Booth." Brennan stated clearly, slightly perturbed by the angry glint in her partner's eyes. 

"Well what is it then? The one day I'm not at your side you end up bonding with that jackass as if he didn't make this mess in the beginning!"

"Ok, first of all, I don't need you to babysit me and I resent the fact that you feel your judgment is superior to my own. This mess is not Cole's fault because he's not the one making up these stories –"

"Oh, so now you're defending him?" Booth asked raising his voice further and invading Brennan's personal space more and more.

"I'm not defending him, I'm just not blinded by the jealousy that you seem to feel toward any male that comes into my life."

"Totally out of line, Bones! This is not about us, this is about getting this guy as far away as possible so we can get to the way things were before."

"And what is that, Booth?" she continued, his body dangerously close to hers. Their anger had quickly melted in frustration and was now morphing into another emotion which was unidentifiable to Brennan.

"You and me." Booth said, the simplicity of his words reaching into Brennan's mind more deeply than any other rational argument. Their fight had ceased and the two were slowly becoming aware of their situation. Brennan's calves were pushed up against the edge of the bed and she could nearly feel Booth's breath against her face. She looked away as Booth took a step back and loosened his striped tie.

"Are you guys coming out, or should we give you some privacy?" Angela called from the kitchen; her voice slicing through the nearly tangible energy between Brennan and Booth.

Booth rolled his eyes and smirked slightly. "We're coming, Ange."

Brennan lifted her head and lightly kissed Booth on the cheek. As usual, Booth had little time to react to the confusing sign of affection and instead numbly followed Brennan toward the bedroom door.

"You should probably leave your gun on the nightstand."

"Good idea, Bones. Good idea." Booth muttered as he followed her out of her bedroom. This was going to be an interesting evening.

* * *

**Ooh that was so much fun to write! I'm leaving on vacation, but I'm itching to get back and write the next chapter. I swear you'll be flooded with new chapters when I get back!**

**What did you think of that chapter? Any thoughts? I'd absolutely love to hear from you! You guys are my fuel! ;)**

**Happy New Year!!**

**xoRosie**


	7. Movie Night

**A/N**: Hey guys! I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner. My classes are very demanding, so keeping my marks up for med school is a bit of a fulltime job! Anyway, to partially compensate I have a massive chapter for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I would love to know what you think and if you have anything particular in mind for the rest of this story. I have a few twists in mind, and I'm anxious to write more chapters shortly!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bones, just this storyline!

**Previously**: Cole surprises Brennan by 'dropping in' to her apartment. There, he comes face to face with Booth and Angela. Booth is not very pleased by Cole's presence and Booth and Brennan argue about the situation. The plot thickens...  
_"Are you guys coming out, or should we give you some privacy?" Angela called from the kitchen; her voice slicing through the nearly tangible energy between Brennan and Booth. _

_Booth rolled his eyes and smirked slightly. "We're coming, __Ange__."__Brennan lifted her head and lightly kissed Booth on the cheek. As usual, Booth had little time to react to the confusing sign of affection and instead numbly followed Brennan toward the bedroom door. _

_"You should probably leave your gun on the nightstand." _

_"Good idea, Bones. Good idea." Booth muttered as he followed her out of her bedroom. This was going to be an interesting evening. _

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Booth and Brennan emerged from the bedroom and entered the kitchen where Angela and Cole stood awkwardly by the counter. Booth stuck his hands in his pockets and eyed Cole intently, searching for any sign of malice on his perfectly structured face.

"So what brings you to DC, Myers?" Booth asked, ignoring the warning stare that Brennan was giving him.

"I'm working on a movie being shot downtown. It's called '_Polygraph_'... it's the sequel to –"

"_Truth Be Told_!" Angela said, nodding her head. "Bren, I took you to see that last year. Don't you remember?"

Brennan tilted her head questioningly, before an expression of recognition dawned on her face. "I seem to recall the film contained a variety of misrepresentations pertaining to the legal system, but overall it was rather entertaining. Your portrayal of the misunderstood defendant was rather moving."

Cole was evidently happy with Brennan's approval, as a smile broke out on his face. "Thanks" he said quietly, staring at her through his steely blue eyes. Angela observed the look on Booth's face as Cole continued to stare at Brennan. Her lips quirked into a faint smile, and she interrupted the awkward silence.

"Well, as much as I would love to witness this testosterone-fuelled tennis match, I gotta meet Jack in fifteen minutes." Angela said as she slipped into her coat and slowly began fastening the large red buttons.

Without taking his eyes off of Cole, Booth was able to clear off the faint lines of confusion that he instinctively knew painted his partner's features. "Not really tennis, Bones..." he explained quietly.

Brennan nodded her head to Booth as Angela began to head towards the door. "It was interesting meeting you, Cole. Try to avoid climbing up people's fire escapes though, okay? Brennan is not the only one who has a gun nearby." She said, throwing a teasing glance at Booth who smiled at her in return.

"Bye Ange" Brennan said with a smile as the door clicked shut. "Pizza?" Brennan asked, glancing at the long white box on the table. She motioned for both men to sit down as she placed three plates on the table.

Cole chewed his bite thoughtfully and observed the cryptic body language going on between Brennan and Booth. "So how is work at the Jeffersonian?" he asked.

Brennan narrowed her eyes slightly. "I never mentioned I work at the Jeffersonian."

"Right. Well, I Googled you. I guess I figured since my life is like an open-book to the public, I was at a disadvantage. You know lots about me, but I never got to know a lot about you."

"Actually, I know nothing about you. I find tabloids to be a waste of both time and resources. And since I did not recognize you in that bar it would follow that I have never paid any attention to you."

Booth bit back a bark of laughter, and simply tried to wipe a grin off his face. Trust Bones to bring a man's confidence down in two sentences or less.

Cole nodded slowly, "Of course". He was clearly embarrassed, but found her bluntness to endear her more to him. "Well then I suppose we're even." He said, flashing his perfect white teeth.

"Cole, why are you here?" Booth said, feigning a tone of niceness in his voice.

"I already told you, I wanted to come and see Temperance to clear things up. I feel bad about what happened, but there's really nothing I can do. Once these people get a story in their minds, there is no pushing them away."

"It would be better if you'd just stay away. I want to get back to work, Booth wants to get back to work, and the only way that will happen is for this situation to be cleared up."

"It's just a matter of time before something bigger and better comes along. Then this will be as forgotten as the Bennifer break-up."

Brennan nodded at his answer, and then made a mental note to figure out who Bennifer was, and why they broke down.

"Anyway, I should probably go." Cole said as he stood from the table. He had been struggling to ignore Booth's pointed gaze, but he awkwardly made eye contact with him for several seconds. "Good luck with everything, Temperance. I'm really sorry about what happened."

Brennan accepted his apology and watched as he turned to leave the apartment. Feeling a moment of boldness, Cole turned just as he was exiting. "The paparazzi may forget you, but I won't. If you – uh – ever want to give me a call sometime, you know how to reach me. You're a special person, Temperance." And with that, Cole exited the apartment and shut the door with a soft click.

"You're a special person, Temperance..." Booth said, mimicking Cole's earnest tone. Brennan turned to him and shot him a glare as she stood to clear the table.

"Hey, I behaved myself!" Booth said, putting up his hands defensively. Brennan couldn't help but smirk at his childlike jealousy.

"Don't be jealous, Booth." Brennan said, knowing the kind of reaction that statement would stir in her partner.

"I am not jealous." He said, shaking his head. "Him with his... teeth..." Booth said, trying to form his argument. Brennan chuckled at his inarticulacy.

"You have nothing to be jealous of, you know." She said cryptically, sitting down beside him again at the kitchen table. His eyes met hers and their gazes locked for several meaningful seconds. Neither of them would come right out to admit the undeniable change in their partnership, but both knew exactly what Brennan was hinting at.

"I know" he said surely. He tenderly but boldly extended his hand to tuck a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. He let his hand lay on the table and grinned at her somewhat mischievously. "You want to know what Bennifer means, don't you?"

Brennan's eyes widened slightly and then she nodded her head earnestly. "Yes, yes I do."

* * *

Booth stayed to keep Brennan company for the next few hours. Neither had anywhere to go or anyone to see, so they were very content to just sit around and do nothing. Booth was sprawled on the couch with his socked feet resting up on the coffee table, while Brennan was curled up in a recliner with her laptop. 

Booth glanced up from the case file in front of him when he heard his partner sigh quietly. She was staring blankly at the computer screen and licked her lips absent-mindedly.

"Bones, you look so bored right now."

"I'm not bored."

"Yes you are, because I am too. You're the one who has been cooped up in this apartment for two days." He said, flopping the case file on the ground and sinking lower into the couch.

A few moments passed before Brennan finally clicked her laptop shut and looked up at Booth. "Yes, I am very bored." She agreed. She had no case work to do until tomorrow, and for some reason she was getting absolutely no where with her next chapter.

Booth nodded his head and then sat straight up on the couch. "Alright" he said, rubbing his hands together, "I've got a plan".

Brennan cocked her head dubiously, but couldn't help but smile at his contagious enthusiasm. "What are you thinking?"

-----------

"Booth, this is never going to work!" Brennan said emphatically as she studied her appearance in the mirror fifteen minutes later. Her hair was tucked up in a blue baseball cap that hid her face, and she wore black yoga pants and a baggy sweatshirt.

"Of course it will work. Besides, it's dark outside." He said, putting his hands on her shoulders and appraising her makeshift disguise in the mirror.

"Remember what happened last time I tried to sneak out?"

"Of course I do, but this time I'm going to be with you. Plus, no one's going to see you. We'll walk down the emergency ladder, jog to my car, and then we're home free!"

Booth had convinced Brennan to go out for a drive with him. Though he knew that there was a risk of her being hounded by photographers, he couldn't bear to see her trapped in her own home like this. She needed someone to break her out of this prison, and he was just the person to do it.

"This is kind of fun..." she said with a smirk.

"That's the spirit!" He said, grabbing his coat and zipping it up. Brennan grabbed her bag off of the couch and walked towards the window. She reached to unlatch the hook, but stopped when she felt his hand on her arm. "Let me."

Brennan opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "I have to go first to make sure the coast is clear, deal?"

"Deal."

Booth and Brennan stepped out onto the metal staircase that ran up the side of her building. As they slowly walked down the metal stairs Brennan glanced up at the dark starry sky and inhaled deeply. It felt really, really good to be outside. Booth's voice brought her back to reality when they reached the ground.

"My car is on that block over there. Just walk normally and we should be alright." He whispered, and Brennan's nose was tickled by the sensation of his warm breath juxtaposed with the cool night air. She nodded and they began to walk down the dark street. As they got closer and closer to the SUV they started to pick up their pace. They both knew they weren't being followed, but there was a bit of a thrill in feeling like they were escaping from something. They hopped into the car quickly and Booth started the engine.

He looked over at Brennan, whose rosy cheeks still shone beneath her baseball cap. A few strands of hair had fallen down near her face and her eyes were shining at him. It was always a rare treat for him to witness Temperance Brennan's playful side, but when he did he savoured every moment. They both chuckled for no real reason as Booth sped off into the night.

* * *

After driving around downtown DC for nearly an hour, Brennan and Booth realized how incredibly hungry they were. Booth suggested that they go back to his place, and Brennan quickly agreed. She wasn't quite ready to go home to her empty apartment quite yet. 

Booth unlocked his front door and tossed his keys on a hook by the coat rack. "Make yourself at home – I'll go get us something to drink."

Brennan nodded and walked into the living room as Booth headed for the kitchen. Brennan had been to Booth's place on countless occasions, and had always felt very comfortable there. She liked how simple and neat everything was, but yet it still felt like a real home. There were pictures framed up on the walls of Parker, and what she assumed to be Booth's family.

Booth returned with two opened beers and set them down on the coffee table. "And now, Bones, it's time for me to teach you how to channel surf." He said as he plopped down on the couch and motioned for her to sit next to him.

Booth flicked on the television with the remote and they found themselves staring at the local weather station. "Just yell out if something looks interesting." He explained. They flicked around a few stations until they reached one station that really caught Brennan's eye.

Mostly, because on the screen there was a picture of herself.

"What is this?" She demanded, grabbing the remote from Booth and turning the volume up louder.

Plastered on the screen was one of Brennan's promotional headshots for her new book. The screen then flashed to a busty blonde woman whose white teeth were nearly as false as her hair. She addressed the camera as if she were a schoolgirl telling a secret to her best friend, _"That was the face of Dr. Temperance Brennan, Hollywood's favourite mystery woman. She has been romantically linked with Cole Myers, whose latest thriller is due in theatres this summer..."_

The screen then flashed to shaky video footage of Booth leading Brennan out of the Jeffersonian just days before. His arms encircled her protectively and his right hand was hiding her face into his neck as they slowly shuffled toward the SUV. Members of the paparazzi were taking photos and lightening speed and some raised their cameras above their heads to get the perfect shot.

_"As you can see Temperance may be more camera shy than her Hollywood sweetheart, but that didn't stop our online viewers from voting this our #1 Story of the Week. To cast your vote, visit www..."_

Booth cast a nervous glance at Brennan, whose eyes studied the screen intently. He hadn't considered the consequences of watching television with Brennan considering her situation, and part of him was now regretting it.

"Bones, let's change the channel. I'm sure we can find something that will..."

"No!" Brennan said, shaking her head vehemently without moving her gaze from the screen.

_"With a woman of Temperance's intellect, it's hard to believe her sense of fashion is so well developed. With her gorgeous body, she's teaching the world how conservatively cut pant suits, dark colours, and exotic necklaces can turn geeks chic! Here to tell us more is our resident fashion guru, Christy Taylor."_

The screen flashed to picture of Brennan exiting the diner and digging for car keys in her purse. A new, yet equally irritating, voice flooded through the speakers. _"Look how this dark A-line skirt lies gently at Tempe's modest hips. Paired with a scoop-neck brown knit sweater, this look brings a sense of glamour to the classic career-woman look."_

_"Now one thing I love about Tempe's style is her unique necklaces. Be sure to look for these in this year's fall collections. Note how this turquoise stone sets of the glimmer in her eyes. Choosing one accessory as a bold accent can give a flirty but sensual feel to any..."_

"Flirty?" Brennan breathed quietly to no one in particular.

Booth rubbed a tired hand over his eyes. When he opened them, he saw Brennan staring at him with a strange and unreadable expression on her face. He gave her a sympathetic smile and reached over to gently remove the remote control from her tight grip. She relented and didn't protest when he switched the television off.

"Don't worry about it, Bones. We'll get this sorted out..."

"You're right. But it's so disturbing, don't you think? How can these people really devote their lives to such meaningless frivolity?"

"It might be meaningless, but if there's a market for it then people will do it."

"Flirty..." She said, shaking her head as she absently thumbed the necklace around her neck.

"Okay, new plan." Booth said as he got off the couch and walked over to a bookshelf full of DVDs. "I say we watch an equally meaningless movie we can make fun of starring Toothy himself."

Brennan looked at him curiously as he searched for the movie he had in mind. "Toothy?"

"Toothy, you know, Cole. He's always smiling about something..."

Brennan nodded her head thoughtfully. "Kind of like a clown. A very rich clown..." she supplied with a grin. Booth scowled at her over his shoulder and then pulled out the movie he was looking for.

"Prepare yourself for mediocrity at its finest, Bones." Booth said as he flipped off the lights and the opening credits appeared on the screen.

* * *

"Booth... Booth!" 

Faintly aware of a constant voice and incessant poking to his left side, Booth's eyes fluttered open. He looked up to see a very flustered Brennan running a hand through her hair. "We fell asleep... we must have fallen asleep in the movie!" She said, pulling him up into the sitting position.

Booth groaned and looked over at the clock, which confirmed his suspicion that they were both late for work. Unfortunately, that was the least of his worries.

"They're outside, Booth." Brennan said, beginning to pace as she dug through her purse for her cell phone.

"Who?" he asked as he trudged toward the window. He peered through the blinds to see five photographers on the sidewalk in front of Booth's driveway. "Oh _hell_ no..." he muttered.

"We don't have a choice, we have to go out there." Brennan said. This was to be her first day back at work since her leave of absence, and there was no way she was going to miss it.

"How did they find us?" Booth asked, but both of them knew it was a rhetorical question.

"Just hurry up and change, I have spare clothes at the Jeffersonian." She said, hurrying him along.

Moments later Booth emerged from his room with a suit thrown haphazardly on his un-showered body. His hair was still slightly ruffled and his tie was unforgivably twisted. Brennan walked over to him and reached out to re-tie it.

"This doesn't look good..." She said quietly as she finished.

"You don't like this tie?"

"No, I mean the situation." She said, pulling her cap lower onto her head. Booth nodded grimly and motioned for her to follow him toward the door.

"You ready?" He asked. She nodded her head and they opened his front door to greet the familiar click of the cameras. Booth clenched his jaw tightly and focused all of his attention on Brennan to avoid lashing out at the photographers. He did, however, find solace in the fact that Cole's movie had literally put them to sleep.

_"Hey, man. What do you think Cole will do to you when he finds out?"_

Click

_"Take your hat off, Tempe. We want to see you gorgeous face..."_

Click

_"Good morning, sunshine..."_

Click

* * *

**TBC  
I hope you enjoyed that chapter, and I can't wait to write some more!  
I'd love to hear from you:)**

**xoRosie**


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